Acute myelogenous leukemia is the most common leukemia and is a fast growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Blood cells in the body are made up of platelets known as white and red blood cells. Those who have AML don’t have enough white or red blood cells and instead posses abnormal cells that grow quickly as the illness progresses.

AML is not genetic nor is it infectious however it is mostly caused by being exposed to benzene.

What is Benzene?

Benzene is an organic chemical compound. Benzene is used in production of oil, rubber, dyes and plastic. Benzene is commonly used as an additive in other chemicals. There are small amounts of benzene used in manufacturing processes for instance, detergents, pesticides and drugs. (more…)

You have spent too much time in the sun and have found brown spots on your skin. Is it cancer of the skin or not? That is something that your primary care physician can answer, but it is good to go prepared. Getting to know all there is about that spot on your skin is the most important thing you could be doing while waiting to go see the doctor about it. There are some things to know to determine if it skin cancer or not. When you go to the doctor you can be prepared with the following information:

1. Oozing or bleeding of the skin- If you have this type of skin, chances are there is a case of skin cancer. This is not always the case, but if you are having such a symptom, it is best to consult your doctor right away. Oozing or bleeding of the skin if you are wondering is it skin cancer or not can be a sure sign that there is a informality in your skin.

2. Change in size or color of skin- This is a subtle change that can be missed if you are not paying attention to the way your skin is forming. Looking at your skin everyday, you can see that it remains mainly one color and size. Lumps and sizes of moles on your skin can be a red flag to the normal type of skin. Be conscience of your body and know when there is a degree of change to your skin. (more…)

Colon cancer usually begins as a small polyp that attaches to the wall of the intestines. Not all polyps become cancerous but some do. If it is detected while in the early polyp stage, it can be easily treated by removal. This is why colon cancer screening is so important.

Cancerous polyps may not cause any signs or symptoms. These are usually detected through screening tests like a colonoscopy. As it spreads and grows, symptoms can develop. One sign of the disease could be a change in your bowel movements that lasts longer than two weeks. This could be either diarrhea or constipation. You may notice blood in your stools. You might experience abdominal cramps, pain, or gas. You may feel like your bowels do not empty completely. There could be unexplained weight loss and fatigue. (more…)

Prostate cancer brings with it symptoms that can alert you to its beginning and progression. If you can catch prostate cancer in the earliest stages, you may not even experience any symptoms. This speaks to the importance of regular screening by your physician. Prostate cancer is very survivable if it is caught and treated during the earliest stages. If you experience any of the symptoms below, set up an appointment with your chosen health care provider.

Some of the symptoms that men might experience, if they have not been yet diagnosed and begun treatment, include a need to frequently urinate, most especially during the night. You may need to get up several times or more over a sleep period, which can require you to sleep longer in order to get the minimum number of restful hours that your body needs to function. (more…)

The main reason responsible for pericardial mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can damage different portions of your body. Similar to other mesothelioma forms, symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma can take ten to fifteen years to show up. If you have been diagnosed with this disease, you will find cancerous tissues around the heart lining. The pericardium plays a vital part in body functioning especially when it comes to protecting your heart.

Symptoms

Tissue expansion and fluid accumulation will happen when there is a fast growth of the cancerous tumors. The fluid can have a negative impact on the proper functioning of your heart causing irregular heartbeat and chest pain. When you complain of chest pain, you are going to be diagnosed. Some of the less common symptoms of this disease are cough, fever, fatigue and shortness of breath. (more…)

Cancer, if not caught in its early stages poses many difficulties when it comes to treatment. The same applies to ovarian cancer, especially since it has no specific symptoms that can be used for initial diagnoses. There exist no preventive measures against it and since it affects many thousand women across the country, it needs to be properly screened and found out at the earliest possible stage. This allows for a better outlook for patients who choose conventional treatment and boost life expectancy for those electing surgery. Unlike most diseases, ovarian cancer shows no specific kinds of symptoms in the early stages. Most problems are treated as hormonal disturbances and not checked for any irregularities.

There exists some symptoms that when experienced frequently in combinations, allows for a reason to check for ovarian cancer. These are loss of appetite, heaviness after a light meal, unexplained weight loss or gain, nausea, diarrhoea, frequent urination, constipation, inflammation or bloating of the stomach, indigestion and abnormal bleeding between menstrual cycles. When one has these symptoms for over three weeks with no relief from conventional remedies, then it can signal ovarian cancer. When suffering from persistent abdominal pains and discomfort, a pelvic examination may reveal a need for further screening. For women who have a family history of cancer in general or ovarian in specific are also advised to go in for a screening. The screening involves two main procedures, Transvaginal Ultrasonography or TVS and a CA 125 blood test. (more…)

There are some telltale signs that will indicate that you indeed have a cyst on your ovary but experiencing one or most of the ovarian cysts symptoms does not always directly point out that you are affected with the disease.

This does not mean however that you need to take the symptoms for granted and assume that you are perfectly fine. Symptoms are signs, they are the body’s way of telling us that something is going on. You need to immediately see your doctor to avoid advancing complications.

I am the type of person who never ignores any type of symptoms. I have always had regular periods until recently, I didn’t hesitate going to my OB-Gyn and I am right, something is wrong with me. (more…)

A cyst in the ovary is any collection of fluid that is surrounded by a very thin wall. Any ovarian follicle that is bigger than 2cm is considered as ovarian cyst. It can be as small as a pea or as big as a cantaloupe.

This condition is very common among women especially on their reproductive age. Some are harmless and they would go away without any treatment. Harmless in the sense that it is not cancerous.

This disease does not always give you signals but when symptoms of ovarian cyst are present, it may cause severe or faint pressure in the abdomen. Some women notice some lumps in this part of their body. (more…)

Breast Cancer – Aside from October being one of the cooler months of the year, and a special month for kids to go trick or treating dressed up as an eerie ghoul to scare people witless, it is however on a more serious note Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For some women being greeted at the door by a vampire, devil or witch, the fright at that moment is nothing in comparison to the fear they feel inside after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time when women and young girls are alerted to the importance of early detection. This doesn’t mean that women are not made aware of what’s involved with breast cancer treatments, self breast examination and recovery issues all year round; it is just strongly more focused upon in October through Breast Awareness Campaigns. These types of campaigns have great pulling power where we see more and more women coming forward to get themselves checked out, and their questions answered.

As it is with most organizations and support groups they need financial help to keep up the good work. Breast cancer groups will include people who care, and are compassionate towards your feelings. It is also most likely that them who run the groups are, or, have been patients themselves. Cancer care workers will help you the best they can to come to terms with having breast cancer, be there for you when undergoing treatment for breast cancer (more…)